Aircraft



Nov. "27, 1%.

R. L. WRIfiHT AIRCRAF Filed July 23; 1925 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 R. L. WRIGHT AIRCRAFT Fild Jul 23, 1923 3 She ets- Sheet 2 Nov. 27, 1928. 11,693,557 RJL. WRIGHT AIRCRAFT Filed July 23. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 m s v i? o gr A Q L a O 0 :3 :3 a3: 0. b 0 Q o ES I I E o 8% a3 1 BM 1 W ROBERT LEE WRIGHT, OF LOS ANGELES,

. teaser an ere.

CALIFORNIA; WILLIE CROCKETT WRIGHT ADMINISTRATOR OF SAID ROBERT LEE WRIGHT, DECEASED.

.amr.

Application filed July 28,

This invention relates to airplanes and other aircraft and represents an improvement in part of my following co-pending.

' applications,

Application filed March 7th, 1918, Serial 'No. 221,005, application filed December 30th,

1922, Serial No. 610,036, and application filed April 25th, 1923, Serial No. 634,504..

With these and other objects in view the inventions consist in the novel details of construction and combination of parts more fully hereafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

-=Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a top plan viewof a combined land and water craft;

Figure 2 shows a side elevation thereof partly broken away and illustrated in section;

Figure 3, illustrates the propelling means therefor;

Figure 4, illustrates a side view of a combined air, land and water craft partly broken away and shown in section;

Figure '5 is a detailed sectional view taken through the forward end of the craft shown in Figure 3;

Figure 6 illustrates a View in perspective of the operating means for the forward wing Y of said craft;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan View of portions of the propelling and steering means; and

' Figure 8 is" a plan view ofthe propellers and driving means therefor.

My invention-in the form or embodiment shown in the drawings and briefly described, comprises a water craft 1, having a deck 2, an outer bottom 3, and sides and ends of the outer bottom of said ship indicated at 4. The inner bottom of the ship which is shown at 5 is provided with sides and ends iu-tlicatv l at. 6. A space 7 is formed betr'een the outer and inner bottoms of the ship.

Vertically mounted tubes or boxings 8 are disposed between the inner and outer bot- 1923. Serial No. 653,263.

projections 10 and leads to the bottom 12 in any desired manner. Oil tubes 13 are arranged between the oil openings 11 and the oil supply pipes.

Bolts 15 are secured to the outer bottom 3 of the ship and are extended at their upper ends through openings 16 located in the inner bottom 5'and are held in their upper position by means of the bolt heads' 16*. In this manner the springs 9 may readily respond to the load and pressure of the passengers and cargo on the ship.

A rod 17 is secured to the inner bottom 5 and is provided with electric contacting means 18 on the lower end-thereof which are provided with contacting pins 19. Wires 2O connect the contacting pins, 19 with a suitwithin its support 17*. I locate at theupper end of the rod a coil spring 17*. An electric contact plate 21 is secured to the outer bottom 3 and adapted'for'engagement by the pins 19 to which are. attached wires 22 that lead to an electric bell or other indicator (not shown). 7

The front of the ship is provided with-a forwardly extending projection 26 for the purpose of providing a support for a steering member or projection 27. A shaft 25 is vertically mounted in the forward end of the projection 26 for steering member 2 The rearward portion of the steering member 27 is formed substantially arcuate and is provided at its upper end with a rack 29 pivotally supporting the and is adapted to be engaged by a pinion 31 which is secured to one end of the shaft 30. Secured to the opposite end of the shaft 30 is a beveled gear 32 which meshes with a similar gear 33 mounted upon the upper end of the vertical shaft 34. In this manner the steering member 27 may be readily turned by any suitable electric motor through the medium of clutches or similar devices. The extreme point 35 of the steering member 27 is so formed as to permit the ships passage through the water with a minimum amount of resistance.

Outwardly extending propellers 120 are provided on the ground wheels 123 for the purpose of moving the craft through the water. These spirally formed propellers may of course be removed from the hubs of the wheels while traveling on land. For the purpose of driving this device ashaft 101 is provided with gears 99 and 100. to which suitable power is connected such as a motor or the like.

A shaft, 110, similar to the shaft, 101, is

provided for steering the craft and is provided on its upper end witha pair of gears, 109, and 111, which may be attached to any steering mechanism as desired. The lower end of the steering shaft, 110, is provided with a bevel gear 116, and is adapted to mesh with the cogs, 112, of the gear segment 113. The gear 116, is integrally formed to the upper end of the stub shaft 114, whereas the lower end of the stub shaft is integrally connected to the axle 115. In Figure 7 a portion of the axle is indicated as at 118 which is provided at each of its ends with the usual pivotal joints, 119.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 I illustrate a craft which may be used as an aeroplane,

automobile, or boat as desired. A greater portion of the construction of this embodiment of my invention having been already described, reference will be hereinafter made to those details which are distinct from the others.

A wing, 125, which is of course located upon the upper side of the deck, 124, is of the usual well known construction and is secured to the deck by means of braces 126.

This particular craft is also provided with a wing, 132, which is located at the forward end thereof and a relatively short distance above the front portion, 27. This wing, 132,

is held in position by means of a pair of vertically extending shaft portions, 145, which are adapted to slide within the cylinders, 148, which are in turn securely mounted upon the upper surface of that portion of the craft.

A segmental gear, 134, is suitably fastened to the side of the wing, 132, and is provided with gear teeth, 135. A shaft, 136, is provided with a gear, 137, which is adapted to mesh with the teeth 135, of the segment 134. The shaft, 136, is in turn actuated by means of the shaft 129 in connection with mating bevel gears 138, and 139, as clearly shown in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawing.

On the opposite end of the shaft, 129, to the gear 138, is mounted a bevel gear 130, which is adapted to mesh with a mating gear 128 for the purpose of rotating the wing, 132. Any suitable power may of course be applied to the shaft on which the gear, 128, is fastened.

, A rackbar, 150, is secured to the lower end of one of the shafts, 145, and is adapted to be engaged by a pinion, 151 which is secured to one end of the horizontally extending shaft, 152, as clearly shown in Figure 6. A bevel gear, 155 is securely mounted on the opposite end of the shaft, 152 and is likewise as gear 128 adapted to be rotated by any suitable mechanism. The rotation of the shaft, 152,

will cause the'raising or lowering of the ver-' 145, for tilting the forks which are integrally formed upon each end of the shaft, 141. The forked arms it will be noted extend on either side of the shaft,

145. Universal couplings, 140, are placed upon each of the shafts, 129, and 152.

On the forward end of the projection, 35, is provided an air propeller, 157, preferably having two oppositely disposed plates and is preferably mounted to rotate by means of a shaft, 159, which of course extends rearward- 1y into the craft where it is driven by any suitable motor. Centrally mounted with respect to the air propeller 157, is an outwardly extending and substantially conical memher 158, for the purpose of eifectua'lly steering the craft when in the water. This spiral member is preferably A formed of plates or fans, 165.

A. universal joint, 160, is located at a convenient point on the shaft, 159, as is clearly indicated in Figure 50f the accompanying a somewhat diagrammatic view of the various driven shafts and the means of propulsion, it will be noted that the line shaft, 159, is provided with a plurality of bevel gears, 168 which are adapted to mesh with the oppositely disposed mating gears, 167, which are in turn secured to the inner ends of the crossshafts, 166. The bearings, 171, which are (lit.- grammatically shown are preferably located near the outer end of the cross-shafts, 166.

I employa pair of motors of any desired or well known type, 176, and 177, and are so connected that in case one should need adjustment or otherwise become out of order, the other one would serve the purpose of driving the entire mechanism. The motor, 177,

Wise secured to the bevel gears,-183. The

gears 183, are of course mounted to mesh with similar gears which are keyed on to the main drive shaft, 159. For the purpose of disengaging either one motor or the other the clutches, 185, are mounted upon either side of the engine or motor, 176.

Clutches, 174, may be suitably located upon and are operated by means of the hand controlled levers, 175. In this manner various combinations of all propellers may be had.

What I claim is 1. An aircraft having a body carrying a plurality of supporting wheels operated on each side of said body, a spiral propeller with its rear end secured to each of said wheels, each of said spiral propellers extending straight out from each of said wheels, and means to operate said propellers when said wheels are rotated. I

2. An aircraft having a body with a pro-.

jection formed on the forward end of said body, a second projection operated on the forward end of said first mentioned projection, both of said projections extending straight forward from the forward end of said body, a propeller with its rear end formed on the forward. end of a shaft ex? tending out straight forward from the forward end of said second mentioned projection, said propeller sloping from its rear part to a point on its forward end, aplurality of motors geared to said shaft, and

means to simultaneously and separately operate said plurality of motors, and rotate said shaft.

3. An aircraft having a body with a projection formed on the forward end of said a body, said projection extending straight forward from the forward end of said body, a second projection operatively secured to said first mentioned projection, said second projection extendin straight forward from the forward end of said body, a propeller with its exterior formed sloping from its rear part to a point on its forward end extending straight forward from the forward end of said second mentioned projection,

the rear end of said propeller secured to the forward end of a shaft extending out from the forward end of said second mentioned-projection, and a plurality of separate means to both simultaneously and separagtlely rotate said shaft and operate said proe er. 7 a P 4. An aircrafthaving a body with a projection formed on the forward end of said body, a second projection operated on said first mentioned projection, a screw propeller with its exterior sloping from its rear part to a point on its forward end with the rear part of said propeller secured to a shaft extending out from the forward end of said second mentioned projection, said second mentioned projection and propeller extend-' ing'straight forward from the forward end ing straight forward from said motor through the forward end of said body and out through the forward-end of said projection, said propelling shaft having a swivel joint formed in a way to permit said propelling shaft and said projection to be turned at any suitable angle to direct the course of said aircraft, the rear end of a propeller formed on the forward end of said propelling shaft in front of said projection, said propeller extending straightforward with its exterior sloping from its rear part to a point on its forward end, and an aircraft wing with a projection formed on its front mounted on' said first mentioned projection.

6. An aircraft havinga body with ground wheels rear and front, each of said wheels having a spiral propeller horizontally operated on the side of each of said wheels, each shaft with a pinion on the other end of each of said horizontal shafts meshing with cogs or teeth forming a pinion on the inner part of each of the hubs of each rear wheel, and any suitable motor or any suitable power geared to each of said vertical shafts to rotate said vertical shafts and cause all of said front and rear wheels to propel or pull simultaneously.

7. An aircraft comprising a body, gro'und wheels mounted upon each side thereof, a substantially conical and spirally formed propeller centrally mounted and outwardly extending with respect to each of said wheels, a pair of motors, a drive shaft, a plurality of driven shafts connected to said wheels and adapted to be geared to the drive shaft, and a plurality of clutches operatively arranged whereby power may be taken through either one motor or the other.

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand.

ROBERT LEE WRIGHT.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.-

Patent No. 1,693,557 Granted Novetnber 27, 1928, to

It is hereby certified that the above numbered patent was erroneously issued to "Robert Lee Wright,- deceased, of Los Angeles, California, whose Administrator is Willie Crockett Wright", whereas said patent should have been issued to Robert Lee Wright, deceased, vof Los Angeles, California, whose Administratrix is Willie Crockett Wright"; as shown by the records of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office,

Signed and sealed this 8th day of January, A. D. 1929.

M. J. Moore,

( Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

